The Medic and the Waitress
by Iruka Sensei871
Summary: Sakura isn't shy, but Ayame is. She's also pretty and available. Kakashi is a voyeur and a pervert, and has many nose-bleeds. Warnings for yuri, voyeurism, and Naruto being stupid. Sakura/Ayame Kakashi/his own hand. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I need a small break from my other story. This is for ssvidel3, who requested this pairing. Couldn't leave Kakashi out though. I need my pervy Sensei. I'm not sure how explicit this will get, but if it gets past what can handle I'll post the steamy stuff on adultfanfiction For adults only on that site, obviously.

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Naruto and Sai waited for the rest of Team Kakashi at Ichiraku's.

"Kakashi is always late," Naruto said, "but Sakura is usually on time. I'm giving them five more minutes, and then I'm ordering. I'm hungry."

"I don't mind waiting when the waitress is so lovely," Sai said, obviously making sure Ayame heard him. He winked at her.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Naruto asked after Ayame took their drink orders and left.

"I was reading a book on how to be a man," Sai said. "I'm flirting."

"You're really bad at it," Naruto said.

"You try then."

"She's not really my type," Naruto whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Sai asked in a normal voice.

"I don't want to hurt her feelings. I like her; she's just not the type of girl I _like._"

Sai looked at him blankly.

Kakashi and Sakura arrived together. As soon as he sat down Kakashi's nose was already in his book. "This might be the best one yet," he said.

Sakura sat by Naruto. She was still in uniform, and he couldn't help but glance at her long legs and firm body. Her breasts had grown, and even the loose-fitting scrubs looked good on her. "Have you been doing something different with yourself?" he asked.

"Really Baka?" she asked. She pulled a pin out of her hair and it fell around her shoulders. It was long and silky.

"Ino taught me a jutsu," she said.

Ayame brought Sai and Naruto their drinks. "Hello Sakura-chan, Kakashi-san," she said. She blushed and looked down.

Sakura ordered hot tea, and Kakashi mumbled "water" without looking up from his book.

Sakura touched Ayame's hand before she left. "I'd like some lemon please."

_Ayame's acting kind of weird today, _Naruto thought. _Why was she blushing? I haven't seen that look on her face since she saw Kakashi eat, but he still has his mask on._

"I think she's responding to my flirting," Sai said. "I didn't get much farther in the book than that. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do next."

"She's not blushing because of you, idiot," Naruto said.

"Then who was she looking at, Dickless?" Sai asked.

Sakura snickered, and Kakashi glanced up from his book. He looked at the three of them and smiled. "I'd forgotten how amusing you guys are." He turned back to his book.

"Hey, don't talk to me like I'm a kid!" Naruto said.

"Then don't amuse me like you're a child," Kakashi said.

"Oh, what do you know anyway?" Naruto asked. "You keep your face in that book so much I'm surprised you notice anything."

"There's a man behind us with a blue shirt and shoes that need replacing. The cook has a Band-Aid on his finger and a small burn on his lower arm," Kakashi said. "They really need to clean that spider-web in the corner. It's been there for over a week now. I'm observant," Kakashi said. "Don't underestimate me. I also happened to notice that our waitress seems to be interested in one of us romantically. I'm not sure which one she wants though – probably me. I'm not into the innocent type. I like my women more experienced."

He hadn't quit reading the entire time.

"That's really good!" Naruto said. "You have to teach me that jutsu!"

"What jutsu?" Kakashi asked.

"Whatever you did just then. I never saw you pull your headband down."

"I don't need the Sharingan to notice things," Kakashi said. "That's what ninjas are supposed to do."

"I think he's saying you're a lame ninja," Sai said. "I agree, Dickless."

"Stop calling me Dickless!" Naruto yelled. "I have a dick!" He stopped when he realized the whole restaurant was staring at him.

Sakura gave Kakashi and Sakura their drinks. "Are you ready to order?" she asked.

"You forgot the sugar," Sakura said.

"I'm sorry," Ayame said. "I'll be right back."

Sakura caught her wrist, and the hand that had broken mountains was as gentle as a child holding a wounded bird.

"It's ok. You can just stick your finger in it. That will make it sweet enough."

"S…sakura-chan!" Ayame said.

Kakashi's eye slid up over the book. He tucked it away in his pouch.

Ayame fetched the sugar, and she took their orders and went to the kitchen.

"Are you done with the book already?" Sakura asked.

"No, but this is much more interesting," Kakashi said.

"Oh, you can't tell me you didn't know, Sensei. You really are usually so observant."

"I had no idea," Kakashi said. "So… how long?"

"As long as I can remember," she said. "I always felt different; it just took me a long time to realize why I felt that way."

"Ino?" Kakashi asked.

"A few times," Sakura said with a smile.

"What about Hinata?" Kakashi asked.

"No. Are you saving mental pictures in your head for later?"

"Err…" He scratched the back of his head and shrugged.

"You are hopeless," she said.

Naruto was watching them with the squint of confusion he usually wore when a complicated situation needed his attention.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing," Sakura said. "You wouldn't understand."

They ate, and Naruto thought that Sakura acting oddly. He couldn't have said how though. _Kakashi is right, _he thought. _I really do need to learn how to be more observant._

When the bill came Sakura left a large tip. "So, what are you doing later?" she asked Ayame.

"I don't really have plans," Ayame said. "I get off at six."

"I'll pick you up at eight," Sakura said. "Wear something nice."

Ayame smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

_There's something really weird about that, _Naruto thought. A movement on the other side of Sakura caught his attention. Kakashi was reaching for a napkin to stop a small nose-bleed.

"Why is your nose bleeding, you old perv?" Naruto asked. "Are you thinking about your book?"

"No," Kakashi said. "I was thinking about something else."

Sakura snickered. "You're lucky I'm not the type to get easily offended," she said.

"You get offended at me all the time!" Naruto said.

"Well yes," she said, "but that's different."

"Why?"

"Because you're you," she said, "but I don't think I'd have it any other way."

"You know, if you ever wanted an extra friend along…" Kakashi suggested.

"I thought you didn't like the innocent types," Sakura said.

"That wouldn't be very innocent, would it?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto watched the two of them banter, wondering what the hell they were talking about.

They split up. Sakura and Sai went their own way, but Kakashi and Naruto headed toward the training field.

"Sakura and Ayame were acting so odd today," Naruto said.

"Were they?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah," Naruto said. "It kind of reminds me of how Sakura and Ino used to act, after they got over Sasuke."

"It does a bit, doesn't it?" Kakashi said.

"Why do you keep giving me that look?" Naruto asked.

"What look?" Kakashi asked.

"Like you're trying not to laugh at me. I don't like it."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said. "You'll figure it out eventually."

"I'm not stupid," Naruto said.

"I know. You're naïve though. It's ok."

"This is about what happened at the restaurant, isn't it?" Naruto asked. "What did I miss?"

"I'm not explaining that. Ask Sakura, or let it go. And if you do ask her be understanding, ok?"

"Sure," Naruto said. "I doubt Sakura could do anything that would make me angry."

"Angry? No," Kakashi said. "It might give you a nose-bleed though."

"So what are you doing later?" Naruto asked.

"I have plans," Kakashi said, "probably about 10 or so." He smiled, and a small trickle of blood leaked from his nose.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Ok. Had some Blue Moon, and now I'm writing. This will either be awesome or deleted. If you see it then it means I'm sober and decided it was worth keeping.

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Kakashi was a patient man when he had a goal in mind, and tonight he knew what he wanted. Sakura lived across the street from a small antique store, and Kakashi hid in the shadows of the building for an hour as he watched her house. Old women entering and leaving the building passed within feet of him and never knew he was there.

He was rewarded for his patience when he saw Sakura leave in a short red dress. It wasn't what he would have called scandalous, but it wasn't her usual modest attire. _I've never seen her dress like that before, _Kakashi thought, but then he didn't spend much time with Sakura unless they were on missions or training together. He just didn't have anything in common with his students except their jobs. It wasn't like any of them hung out in graveyards or read porn for fun.

He made his way behind her house, being careful to make sure he wasn't seen. He didn't need some civilian calling the police and telling them there was a prowler.

It was too easy to sneak into Sakura's house. Her parents had been civilians, and after their death Sakura had the house to herself. She'd never installed any security. He activated his Sharingan to verify his suspicions, but he didn't see any chakra signatures that might mean she'd laid a trap.

_This is ridiculous, _he thought. _She's a Jounin-level medic. She has enemies, so she should know better than this._

He picked the lock on her back door and entered. He'd never been in her house before, and as he moved through it he made sure to leave no trace of his presence. He found her bedroom easily.

He wasn't sure what he'd expected. He would have thought Sakura would be the type to love pink and lace, but he was surprised to find muted earth tones. Sakura's room was full of heavy wood furniture, with a picture of a log cabin over the bed. It was tasteful and almost Spartan in its simplicity.

_It's sort of masculine, _he thought. _I wonder if Sakura was in the closet all those years. She certainly wasn't open about being a lesbian – or at least bi. She doesn't seem to mind people finding out now, but she's powerful enough no one can do anything about it. I wonder why she's choosing now to come out?_

It could have been because of Sasuke. He hoped Sasuke hadn't driven her away from men entirely. _If he's cockblocking me while he's dead that's a new level of low, _Kakashi thought.

He hoped she was bi. It might give him a chance with her. He'd never been interested before, but knowing how secretive she was made him wonder what else about her might be tantalizingly dirty.

He looked through her books, pulling one out occasionally but making sure to put it back exactly as he found them. There were some novels, a few trade magazines, and her textbooks. It was disappointing.

_She wouldn't keep anything kinky out in the open, _he thought. He looked under the bed, and he saw a box.

When he pulled it out he saw a pile of magazines. _I taught you better than this, Sakura, _he thought. _She didn't even try to hide it well. She might have never planned on someone being in here that might look under her bed for her porn. It's a reasonable assumption. _

He didn't bother to hide his own porn. What would be the point? He read the soft-core stuff in the middle of town. It's not as if it would surprise anyone that he was into some kinky hardcore. It would probably be more of a shock if he wasn't.

He activated the Sharingan so he could perfectly memorize how the magazines had been ordered, and even how they lay in the box. He wanted to know what Sakura was into, but he had to make sure she never suspected anyone was in her room.

The magazines were disappointing at first – Playboy, Maxim, more of the same. They were the type that were sexy in a mild way. As he got to the bottom of the pile he found what he'd been looking for.

_Pay dirt, _he thought. There were several kinks mags at the bottom of the box that was a hentai manga. It was simply called "Hokage", and it was full of paintings of Tsunade that had been altered so that she was nude. In some she was having sex with various people, but their faces were always averted or blurred.

_Hiding their faces was a good idea, _Kakashi thought. _If Tsunade-sama knew this existed she'd kill everyone involved._

He put the magazines back carefully. Her taste was somewhat kinky. He knew what to expect at least.

Kakashi opened her bedside table's drawer, and looked through the sex toys he found. She had a variety of toys that interested him. _I may never need my Icha-Icha Paradise books again, _Kakashi thought. This would at least be good enough to hold him over between publishings.

When he'd satisfied himself that everything had been put back in order he looked for a good place to hide. If she was about to catch him he could always sink into the floor momentarily, but he wanted a good vantage point.

The closet was the most obvious place, and also one he could spend a long time in comfortably if he needed to. He avoided damaging the door. That would be too noticeable. He went into the closet, and he was glad to see that it was roomy. He moved to the corner and cut a very small hole in the wall – just large enough to see out of.

_She shouldn't notice that in a dark room, _he thought. _I don't think I'd even see it if I wasn't looking for something out of place._

He went to her living room to see where the couch sat in relation to the closet. In his experience most sex happened either on the couch or in the bed, and he wanted a good view of both. The bedroom and living room were next to each other, and he was able to cut another small hole that let him have a good view of the couch from the closet. If he stood he could see down onto the couch. He'd have a perfect view of whatever happened.

He settled in to wait.


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura looked at Ayame across the table at Atami, a new sushi restaurant. Ino had recommended it for the atmosphere, and Sakura approved of her taste. It had been a warehouse, and when it was turned into a restaurant the owners had kept the open feel and exposed pipes that came with the building. Fine art hung on bare concrete walls, and the small place had a cozy, intimate atmosphere.

"It must have been so hard to get in here," Ayame said.

"Not really," Sakura said. She didn't want to tell Ayame that all she had to do was drop her name and a table had "suddenly become available". It wouldn't do to have Ayame think she was arrogant.

"They had a last minute cancellation," Sakura said. "We got lucky."

Their appetizer arrived, a simple edamame dish. Sakura thought that Ayame seemed the simple type, and she wasn't surprised when she picked the dish.

Ayame ate daintily, picking the beans out of the pods with the grace of a debutante. Sakura tried not to stare at those soft, plump lips as they worked on her food.

"So tell me about yourself," Sakura said. "We've never really had a chance to talk before."

"There's not much to say," Ayame said. "My mother died when I was 14, and I've been working in the ramen shop since then."

"That can't be all," Sakura said.

"Well…" Ayame said. "Don't tell anyone, but I like to paint."

"Why wouldn't you want anyone to know about that?" Sakura asked.

"It's silly," Ayame said. "I've never let anyone but my father see my work."

"My teammate Sai paints," Sakura said. "I've always been interested in artwork."

"Really?" Ayame asked. "I didn't know ninjas liked art."

Sakura laughed. "We're just people like civilians." _We just happen to kill people for a living, _Sakura thought.

"Oh, I didn't mean anything bad by that," Ayame said. "It's just that whenever there are ninjas in the store they always talk about training or battles or strategy. I never hear you guys talk about anything else."

"I guess we are single-minded," Sakura said. "It's nice to actually talk to someone about something besides work for a change. What do you paint?"

"My customers, mostly," Ayame said. "I like to pain some of the places I like around town."

"I'd love to see them sometime, when you're comfortable with that," Sakura said.

Their food arrived then, and Sakura could have cursed her waitress' timing. She wanted to draw Ayame out and get to know her.

"Are you vegetarian?" Sakura asked, looking at Ayame's meal. She had ordered a nori salad and tofu maki.

"I haven't eaten meat in years," Ayame said. "It just sort of happened."

Sakura ate a bit of her own tempura. She honestly preferred Icharaku's, but she'd overheard Ayame tell her father about Atami, so she'd chosen the place.

"What's it like to be a ninja?" Ayame said.

Sakura thought about it for the first time since she was a child. "It feels good to protect the people I love," Sakura said. "There's something wonderful about the feel of chakra flowing from me into a wounded person – like I'm giving them life."

She realized Ayame was seeing her in a different way than she saw herself. Everyday Ayame dished out bowl after bowl of food. She always had a smile and a kind word, and Sakura had come back from missions to go to Icharaku's just to see that encouraging face. Ayame must think she had a glamorous life. She didn't see the bug-infested campsites or the festering battle wounds she treated. She just heard the exciting stories.

"It's hard sometimes," she said. "I have to see some horrible things, but I always have Konoha to come back to. That makes all the difference."

Ayame took a sip of her wine, and Sakura watched the muscles in her long, delicate neck as she swallowed. She imagined her lips on that neck. _I'm leaving a mark there later, _she thought.

She glanced lower. Ayame had worn a black dress that dipped into some lovely cleavage. _I'm leaving a mark there, too, _Sakura thought.

When they finished their meal Sakura suggested a walk. "It helps the digestion," she said. She hadn't exactly said this was a date, and she didn't want to scare Ayame. It was best to pretend that they were two girls having a nice night out.

She could feel the chemistry between them. Ayame had blushed when Sakura caught her looking at her chest, and there were little signs that said she was interested. A look held just a bit too long, the way Ayame pushed her hair behind her ear occasionally – things that told Sakura she was interested.

They walked around the city for about half an hour, stopping by fountains and Lake Uchiha. When the air began to grow chill Sakura said, "it's still early. Do you want to come over to my place and watch a movie or something?"

"Sure," Ayame said. "I don't work tomorrow. I can stay up late."

They took their shoes off at the door, and Sakura noticed how delicate Ayame's ankles were. _Everything about her is birdlike and delicate, _Sakura thought. _She reminds me of a white heron._

Sakura put in the movie adaptation of Icha-Icha Paradise. It was a toned-down version of the book, but it was still steamy and emotional.

"I'm going to have some wine," Sakura said. "Would you like a glass?" She thought a bit more wine would help them both relax. Kakashi didn't know that she'd listened when he'd talked to his friends about his escapades with women, and she'd learned a few things when he had forgotten she was around. One of those things was that alcohol really loosened up women.

Ayame tucked her legs under her and sipped at her wine. "This is really good," she said.

"I got it up in the Rain Country last year," Sakura said.

She started the movie and waited for one of the love scenes. _Patience, Sakura, _she thought. _Anything worth having is worth waiting for._

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Kakashi was feeling less than patient. _She's being smart about this, but I really wish she'd get on with it, _he thought. He was curious to see how Sakura would begin. He assumed she was the dominant one. Ayame seemed very laid back about the situation. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he hoped to learn a few tricks.

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Sakura waited until the main characters were kissing to make her first move. She stroked Ayame's hair lightly. "You have such pretty hair," she said quietly. "I never see it when it isn't tied up for work. Can I put it in a French braid?"

Ayame turned so that her back was facing Sakura. Sakura let her lean back so that she was almost leaning against her. She ran her fingers through Ayame's hair gently. Ayame sighed. "That feels good."

Sakura began to braid Ayame's hair. She took every chance she had to touch Ayame's neck and face as she worked.

_I have to go for it sometime," Sakura_ thought. She finished the braid and bent down, kissing Ayame's neck gently. When Ayame didn't pull away she sucked harder, making sure she left a hickey.

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_Not bad, _Kakashi thought. _Too bad I can't use that one. I can't see a girl letting me braid her hair. _He resisted the urge to unzip just yet.


	4. Chapter 4

"Sakura, you won't…you won't tell anyone, will you?" Ayame asked. "My dad knows, but no one else does."

Sakura began to massage her shoulders gently. "As far as anyone knows you and I had a nice dinner and a little girl time. That's what this is right?" she asked, "a little girl time?"

Sakura kissed Ayame's neck again and caressed her hair.

"I've never been with anyone before," Ayame said. "I'm a little frightened."

"We'll go slowly then," Sakura said. "I've done this a few times. I know what to do. You're really tense," she said. "I'll help you relax; I give a good massage."

"You do," Ayame said. She leaned back onto Sakura again. She reached up and touched Sakura's face.

"This isn't quite comfortable," Sakura said. She had been sitting with her legs crossed under her like Ayame, but she moved so that her long legs were wrapped around Ayame's body, framing and surrounding her. Sakura continued with the massage, moving her hands down over time so that she was slowly rubbing her just under Ayame's collar bone.

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_Good, _Kakashi thought. _Now let her know what you can do for her, but be subtle. You'd better close the deal here. _He'd never watched anyone like this before, but he'd fantasized about it, and it was almost exactly like he'd pictured it.

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"Ayame," Sakura said in her ear. "Beautiful, soft Ayame."

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Kakashi watched them begin to enjoy each other. It was everything he'd hoped it would be. _Sakura just became my favorite student, ever, _Kakashi thought.

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Ayame stood with her hands held in front of her. Sakura thought that her body language said she was still hesitant. _I can't expect her to be completely comfortable with this just yet, _she thought.

Ayame wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing, and she didn't want to look silly in front of Sakura. _She's so cool, _Ayame thought. _I must seem so simple to her._ She went to the bed and waited for Sakura, hoping she wouldn't seem stupid in front of someone she'd watched quietly for so long.

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Kakashi watched Sakura gently make love to Ayame, soothing her when she was nervous and obviously trying to please her lover.He confirmed what he'd suspected; Ayame was naïve, and Sakura was experienced.

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Twice as she was making love to Ayame, Sakura thought she heard small sounds from the closet. _I hope I don't have mice, _she thought. _I'll have to check that out later. _

When they were finished, Sakura pulled Ayame into her arms and spooned her closely.

"That was amazing," Ayame said. "You'll always be my first," Ayame said. "I'll never forget tonight."

Sakura kissed the back of her neck and allowed herself to fall asleep. She'd never felt safe enough to sleep with anyone else but Ino after sex.

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The next day Kakashi managed to "accidentally" pick the same training field as Sakura when he knew she'd be training. She always managed to put in at least a couple hours after working at her shift, and as Kakashi watched her practice he remembered what those muscles had looked like uncovered.

She saw him and waved. He waved back, and for the first time since he'd met her he felt nervous around Sakura. It didn't make sense, really. They'd known each other for over a decade, but he felt like he was really seeing her for the first time.

"You want to get some food?" Kakashi asked.

"Sure," Sakura said. "Where were you thinking?"

"Ramen is good for me," Kakashi said. He wanted to see how she interacted with Ayame.

She wrinkled her nose. "I'm not in a mood for ramen. Are burgers ok?"

He agreed and they headed toward a small place. He didn't really care for it, but Sakura liked it, and he wanted some news.

"So how did it go last night?" he asked after they were seated.

"Sorry to ruin your masturbation fodder, but all we did was go to dinner and watch a movie."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Sakura said. "I guess I was wrong about her. It turns out she's straight after all. That's ok. We had some fun – just a little girl time."

Kakashi realized she was protecting Ayame's reputation. "Sakura, have I ever told you that you are one classy lady?"

"Who, me?" Sakura asked. "I've never heard the terms "classy" or "lady" applied to me. I can break a mountain with a punch. That's not really very dainty."

Kakashi chuckled. "I guess I've spent enough time around Kunoichis that I don't really think of a lady that way. I respect how much you think of others."

"Thank you," Sakura said. "What brought that on?"

"Nothing specific," Kakashi said. "I guess after we talked yesterday I just thought about some things, and I realized how much I've come to like you." He smiled, and he hoped she was charmed.

"I know guys are into the whole lesbian thing," Sakura said, "but I hope you're not just saying this because you want a threesome or something. I'm really not into guys."

"Of course not," Kakashi said. _Fuck, _he thought.

"If I were, you would be near the top of the list though," Sakura said with a smile.

_Great, _Kakashi thought. _I just got friend-zoned and flirted with at the same time._

"I'll give Ayame a call tomorrow," Sakura said. "It's good to have new friends."

"You just got a sad look," Kakashi said. "What's wrong?"

"Every since I turned 30 last year I've been feeling old. Shikamaru and Temari are sort of happy together, but at least they're together. Even Lee found a girlfriend, and Hinata and Naruto make me nauseous sometimes with their sappiness. I'm the only one of my friends my age that's still single. I guess I'm afraid I'm going to be an old maid."

"I doubt that," Kakashi said. "You just haven't found the right person yet." He had noticed the small lines forming around her eyes and across her forehead over the last few years, but they didn't detract from her appearance much. There wasn't much that could detract from that huge forehead, anyway.

"Do you ever get lonely?" Sakura asked.

"Not really," Kakashi said. "I have lots of friends, and my books, and if I want a woman I can usually find one. I've had a couple relationships, and I hated most of the time I spent with those women. I like being single."

"I guess I want more than just a one-night stand," Sakura said. "I like Ayame a lot, but even if she were gay she's not what I'm looking for in a partner. I think she'd be fun in bed, but I can't imagine coming home to her for the rest of my life."

"Why not? What are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure. I guess I want someone kinder than me, softer, maybe more generous. I'd love to come home to a smile and a good home-cooked meal."

"That sounds like Ayame to me," Kakashi said.

"Yeah, but it can't be a civilian," Sakura said. "I can't come home and talk to a civilian about missions. Ayame would be shocked if she knew what my life was like."

"Lots of ninjas marry civilians," Kakashi said. "My mother was a civilian. She just didn't talk about work with Dad. I don't remember her very well, but they were happy."

"It doesn't matter," Sakura said. "Even if Ayame was gay, I doubt she'd be the type to let the whole village know."

"Probably not," Kakashi said.

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Sakura stewed about it for a couple hours. She couldn't get past the idea that she wanted Ayame around more. She'd just wanted a good lay, but she could see Ayame as a good wife, and she didn't know what to think about that.

To get her mind off of Ayame, Sakura decided to find out if she did have a mouse problem. She was sure she'd heard something in her closet. She got a flashlight and knelt, searching for rat droppings. She hated rats, and she wasn't about to let them get into her house.

Sakura caught a whiff of an odd smell in the closet. It wasn't much, just a vaguely musky something. She got a bottle of Febreeze and freshened the closet, and then went back to searching for any sign of rodents.

She stopped when she saw something out of place. _I do have a rat problem, _she thought.

She went straight to Kakashi's house, and she found him reading on his porch. He put the book away when she approached.

_One of these days I'm going to have to read those books, _Sakura thought.

"I wonder if you could help me with something." Sakura asked.

"Sure. What's up?"

"I seem to have a rat problem," she said.

"That's not good," Kakashi said. "Once they get in your house they're hard to get out."

"This one is really odd," Sakura said. "I've never heard of a rat with short, curly silver hair before, but that's what I just found in my closet. That's an interesting rat, huh?"

Kakashi felt cold fear wash over him. He remembered Jiraiya's crushed organs and broken ribs when he'd spied on Tsunade in the spa.

"Don't kill me," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to kill you. I can't even really be mad at you. I've watched you several times myself. I learned a lot."

"Wait. I knew about that time with Anko. When else were you watching me?" Kakashi said.

"I'm not telling," Sakura said with a smirk.

"I thought you weren't into men," Kakashi said.

"I'm not," she said, "but you pick some beautiful women, and I couldn't exactly ask my mother how to make love to a women, so I did the next best thing. Who better to learn from than my teacher?"

"Er…do you still do it?" Kakashi asked.

"If I say yes will you stop me?" Sakura asked.

"Not if you let me do it too."

"Ok then," Sakura said. "You can use my closet, but not with Ayame. I'm not sure how I feel about her yet, but I want to respect her. She doesn't want anyone to know she's gay, and she's a really sweet person."

"I'll keep it to myself, but you have to give me a heads-up if you're bringing someone else over. It's only fair if you want to watch me."

"Sounds good," Sakura said. "I learned a lot from you, so I guess it's only fair to let you learn from me." She smirked again, "and it's really hot."

Kakashi chuckled. "It's a deal then."


	5. Chapter 5

Sakura didn't date much. She'd had sex with a number of women, but that was different. She knew there were probably rumors about her, but she'd never actually come out of the closet. Ino was discrete, and the other women were pick-ups from bars out of town or people who didn't run in her social circles – civilians and such. She didn't care if there were rumors, but she didn't want to make extra trouble for herself.

She was at the bar again, some little dive called "Intrepid". It was the sort of place that sold well drinks for ½ price after 10 and 2 dollar shots that tasted like rubbing alcohol, but she didn't have to worry about anyone she knew finding her.

She drank a couple of weak Long Island Ice Teas and headed home. _I wish there were something else to do, _she thought.

The click of the key sounded so _alone _somehow. She occasionally felt lonely. _How does Kakashi do it? _she wondered. _He really seems to enjoy being alone. _

It was getting old, coming home to an empty house. She tossed her keys on the coffee table. The room was almost too clean, like no one really lived there.

_I can't do this tonight, _she thought. _I'm going for a walk._

Konoha welcomed her with a stiff cold breeze. Sakura loved the cold. People tended to stay indoors, and she had the night to herself. She passed an occasional villager, but they kept their heads down against the wind. She liked to walk and think. It was odd, but when she was indoors she was lonely. Outside she just loved being by herself in the night air. It was almost as if the whole village was with her out here.

_It's not such a big deal to turn 30, _Sakura thought. But she knew better. She'd seen the wrinkles forming in the mirror, and every year she had to work harder to keep her body fit.

She went home still feeling out of sorts. _I'll call Ayame-chan tomorrow. I like being with her. _Some sex always cheered her up, and she still had a lot to teach Ayame.

Sakura went by Icharaku's for lunch, but Ayame was too busy to talk. She took a corner table that was only big enough for two people. It was awkward, near the bathroom, and usually unused. She saw Ayame's father's girlfriend standing near the door.

Sakura had three hours until she had to go back to the hospital, and she decided to wait. _I don't have much else to do right now anyway, _she thought. She couldn't train without getting sweaty, and she didn't want to change, train, and then shower and change again. She'd tried it a few times, and it hadn't worked out.

The lunch rush finished and left, and Ayame's father smiled at his girlfriend while he washed his hands. "I have time for a break," he said. "Do you want to go out back with me? I haven't had a smoke in hours."

He turned the place over to the apprentice cook and went outside with his girlfriend. Ayame came over and sat by Sakura.

_I was waiting for her like a girlfriend, _Sakura thought. Her throat felt a bit tight. _Fuck that, _she thought. _Don't be paranoid. She doesn't see you that way._

A strand of Ayame's hair had escaped her hair band, and Sakura fought the urge to tuck it behind her ear. _She doesn't want people to know. That would be a little obvious._

"I'm glad you came by," Ayame said. She blushed and ran her finger around the table in a nervous circle. "I was thinking about you."

_Were you? _Sakura wondered, "_or were you thinking about what I can do for you?" _She liked Ayame, but she knew how the world worked. No woman but Ino had ever wanted her for more than her body.

_That's all you wanted them for, _Sakura thought.

"Is something wrong?" Ayame asked. "You look upset."

"No," Sakura said. "I was just thinking."

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Ayame asked.

"Of course not," Sakura said. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just nervous."

_That's so adorable, _Sakura thought.

"You don't have anything to be nervous about," Sakura said. She tried not to smile, but she couldn't help it. _She's so naïve, _she thought.

"I was thinking," Ayame said. "If you'd like to come over sometime I could cook. I never get to deal with anything but ramen around here. It would be fun."

"Sure," Sakura said. It wasn't what she really wanted, but if she wanted to get Ayame back in bed she'd have to play a few games. She'd heard Kakashi and Jiraiya talk about it.

"You have to play a woman like a fiddle," she'd heard Jiraiya say once. Kakashi had agreed, but Sakura couldn't remember a time that he'd gone out of his way to get a woman. They just always seemed available to him.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, would do a lot. She'd even known him to go to the opera once, and he complained for days because the woman he took wouldn't sleep with him afterwards.

Ayame went back to work, and Sakura went home. She dug through a text on the limbic system, but she couldn't keep her mind on her reading. Going to Ayame's for a home cooked meal seemed domestic. They hadn't even dated yet. She hadn't even really decided she _wanted _ to date Ayame.

_How would I "date" someone so in the closet anyway? _Sakura wondered.

Ayame's father would probably be home, so Sakura wore something modest. She didn't want to embarrass Ayame.

Their place was above the restaurant, and Sakura wondered why they didn't get something better. It was small and what people would call "cozy", or at least the type of people who couldn't afford anything larger.

The stairs were so narrow she felt a bit claustrophobic. Ninja training kicked in, and she couldn't help but feel on edge in such an obviously undefendable position.

"I thought I'd make something nice tonight," Ayame said. She smiled over her shoulder at Sakura, and Sakura felt jealous for just a moment. Ayame obviously never worried about attacks from behind, or random kunai. Sakura had noticed that Ayame didn't pay enough attention to her surroundings.

_I wonder what it's like to be a civilian, _Sakura thought. She imagined it to be like a blind young puppy, not knowing how harsh the world was.

For such a thin girl Ayame had an ample behind, and Sakura enjoyed the view as Ayame made her way up the stairs.

"I hope you like stew," Ayame said. "I've had one cooking in the slow-cooker all day."

"Anything is good," Sakura said. "I don't eat home cooked food very often. My cooking skills involve pouring things out of cans, mostly."

"I could teach you some time if you'd like," Ayame said.

"Sounds like fun," Sakura said, even though she had no desire to learn to cook.

As soon as Ayame opened the door the rich smell of stew filled the air. It was a nice place, and Ayame's touches were obvious. _She really likes flowers, _Sakura thought as she looked around. Wildflowers filled vases, and she had potted plants around the house. Sakura couldn't remember the names of most of them. Despite the best efforts of Ino when they were kids, Sakura had never cared about flowers. She had learned enough to pass the test and forgotten the flowers.

She'd never forgotten the way Ino had touched her hand when she showed her how to arrange the wildflowers. She hadn't understood until years later why it made her heart beat a little faster and her face hot.

"It's really nice in here," Sakura said to Ayame.

"Thank you," Ayame said. "I try to add some pretty touches. I think flowers liven up a place."

Ayame's father came from the bedroom. "Hello, Sakura," he said. "Welcome to my home."

"Thank you," she said. "Ayame promised me a home-cooked meal. How could I refuse?"

"Be a good girl and fetch your old dad a beer, Ayame" Ayame's father said. He sat heavily and sighed. "I'm getting too old for all this work. Someday I'm going to retire."

Ayame kissed him on the head. "Sure you will pops, and you'll be back in two weeks."

Sakura followed Ayame into the kitchen, and watched as Ayame tied on a white apron with little red hearts.

"I'm going to make some garlic bread and dinner will be ready," Ayame said.

Sakura watched from behind as Ayame worked on the meal. She came behind Ayame and put her hands around her, kissing her on the neck.

Ayame giggled. "Sakura! My dad's in the next room."

"Can I help it if you make me forget my manners?"

Ayame turned around, pushing Sakura's hand away. "Later," she said. "At your place. I told Dad that I like you, but I'm shy about all this."

"He's ok with this?" Sakura asked.

"I told you he knows," Ayame said. "He's just happy that I'm finally bringing someone home."

Sakura pushed Ayame against the sink and kissed her. _I don't like all this serious talk, _she thought.

"Sakura stop," Ayame said. "I don't want Dad to walk in on us, and I'm cooking. That's gross."

Sakura pulled away and sat down. "I'll behave, for now," she said, "but I'm doing amazing things to you in my mind."

Teuchi came in and sat with Sakura while Ayame cooked. When the bread was finished they ate the fragrant stew and chatted together. Sakura had forgotten what it was like to spend time with a family. When they were finished she helped Ayame clean up.

"I enjoyed having dinner with you guys," she said. She meant it. It had just been a way to get back into Ayame's pants, but she liked how comfortable and friendly their home was.

"I'm going to bed," Teuchi said. "This old man is worn out."

Sakura didn't make another move on Ayame. If Ayame had been uncomfortable with her father in the living room she would do better to get her to her own house.

"Do you want to go over to my place?" she asked.

"Yes," Ayame said, a little quickly.

_She wants it too, _Sakura thought. _She's just the kind that needs to be pushed a bit._

As they walked to Sakura's place, Ayame slipped her hand into hers.

"Is this ok?" Sakura asked. "I thought you didn't want people to know."

Ayame pulled her hand away from Sakura's. "I guess you're right," she said. "I'm not ashamed. I'm just afraid of what might happen. People can be so mean sometimes."

"You know I'll protect you," Sakura said. "No one would dare hurt you. They'd be too afraid of what I might do to them."

"You make me feel so safe," Ayame said. "I'll be ready someday. I just want to keep this between us for now."

"Just so you know, Kakashi knows," Sakura said. "He's really observant."

"He…he knows?" Ayame said.

"He doesn't care," Sakura said. "You should give your friends more credit than that. He just wanted to know if I could talk you into a threesome."

She saw the shocked look on Ayame's face. "Don't worry. I told him no." She didn't feel the need to let her know about Kakashi's little visit while they were together. It wouldn't happen again, so there was no need to bother Ayame.

"I guess it's nice to know there's someone else who isn't going to hold it against me," Ayame said.

As soon as they were inside Sakura's house she pulled Ayame into her arms and kissed her. _I don't have to play coy any more, _she thought. _She knows what she came here for._

"I've been thinking about what we did a lot," Ayame said.

"Me too," Sakura said. She guided Ayame toward the bedroom.

"Just a second," Sakura said. She checked in the closet to make sure Kakashi hadn't forgotten his promise. She liked the idea of him watching, but she wouldn't disrespect Ayame like that.

"What's wrong?" Ayame asked.

"Nothing," Sakura said. "I just thought I might have a rat. We're ok."

Sakura turned her attention to Ayame. She still looked nervous, fidgeting and tending to cover herself with her hands.

_This still calls for some finesse, _Sakura thought. _She wants it, but she's still not comfortable with us yet._

"You really are beautiful," Sakura whispered. "Have you ever been told that?"

"Well, I mean – by customers," Ayame said, "but they don't count."  
"I suppose not," Sakura said. "But you are – even covered in flour from making the noodles."

"When did you see me like that?" Ayame asked.

"I might have noticed you last week when you were working in the back," Sakura said, "and I thought that you can even make noodles seem sexy."

"So, what should we do tonight?" Sakura asked. "I have so many things I can do for you? Did you like what we did last time."

"Oh yes," Ayame said. "I'd like more of that."

"I want you to do something tonight," Ayame said.

"Of course," Sakura said, glad that Ayame was becoming vocal about what she wanted.

"I want you to really be my first," Ayame said.

It took Sakura a moment to realize what Ayame was asking of her. "You want me to take your virginity?"

"Yes," Ayame said.

"I can do that," Sakura said with a smile. _Best night ever, _she thought.

_How should I do this? _She wondered. She'd always heard that a woman never forgot her first time.

"You know this hurts the first time, right?" she asked.

"I've heard that," Ayame said. "I really want this."

_I want to feel it too, _Sakura

When they were finished Ayame lay still, panting and spent. Sakura lay by Ayame. She kissed her shoulder. "That was amazing," she said.

Ayame rolled over and cuddled up to Sakura. She put her head on Sakura's shoulder and sighed deeply. "I never thought I'd find anyone like you," she said.

_She's so open, _Sakura thought, and she felt jealous. Ninjas kept themselves closed off from the world. It was a necessity. _She could teach me a few things about life, _she thought.

"I'm glad I found you," Sakura said. "Let's get some sleep."

Ayame closed her eyes. "I love you, Sakura," she said.

Cold panic washed over Sakura. _I did not just hear that, _she thought. _Love is such a dirty word. I loved Sasuke and look what it cost me._

"You don't mean that Sweetie," Sakura said. "We just had a couple nights together."

"I know what I feel," Ayame said. "I'm really happy right now."

"Me too," Sakura lied. She had been happy a few minutes ago. _I took her virginity and now she thinks she loves me, _she thought.

"Goodnight," Ayame said, and Sakura was glad she didn't want to talk anymore.

_I really fucked up this time, _Sakura said. She remembered when she'd confessed her feelings to Sasuke and been turned down.

_I'm going to hurt Ayame, _she thought. _Just like Sasuke hurt me. I wanted so much out of him that he couldn't give me. I can't do this to her._

She lay awake for an hour, thinking about the situation, but she couldn't think of a good answer. _I'm not girlfriend material, _she thought. _She's just confused by sex. I can't really offer her anything. _The mental picture she'd had of Ayame waiting for her at home being adorably domestic popped back into her mind.

_Who am I kidding? _Sakura thought. _She doesn't even want to come out of the closet. We could never live together like that. She has no idea what she wants._

When she woke in the morning Ayame was gone, but she'd left a note. _I have to go to work. Last night was the best night of my life. Call me later. Love, Ayame._

Sakura spent the day in a sort of daze. She focused on her work, but she spent her breaks alone, thinking. As her shift neared an end she felt panicked again. _I should call her, _she thought, _but I really don't want to right now. I need some time to think._

She went to Intrepid, and she started drinking hard liquor immediately. She wanted to forget the day, to forget Ayame, to forget that part of her wanted Ayame as a permanent part of her life.

She'd lost track of how many drinks she had when someone slid into the seat next to her at the bar.

She could make out Gai's face, but it was a little blurry. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Asuma insisted on going bar hopping. I've never done it before," Gai said. "He wanted to pick the seediest bars. I didn't expect to see you in a place like this."

"What are you drinking?" Sakura asked, looking at the odd greenish concoction in his hand.

"It's a green tea latte," Gai said. "I think drinking too much is bad for the body. It's not youthful."

"You ordered green tea in a bar?" Sakura asked, and she laughed loudly. She could tell that she was laughing far too loudly, but she couldn't stop herself.

Asuma appeared on the other side of her and put his hand on her shoulder. "I think you've had enough, Sakura."

"I've had enough when I can't remember," Sakura said. "I'm not quite there yet."

She looked back at Gai and giggled. She fluffed his hair with her fingers. "You have funny hair," she said. "You should grow it out. It would be cute."

"Ok, now I know you've had way too much," Asuma said. "Come on. We're taking you home."

Sakura argued with them, but the bartender wouldn't serve her any more liquor. She stood and immediately regretted it when she swayed.

Gai caught her until she was a little steadier. He put an arm around her shoulder and guided her toward the door. It was the longest walk she'd ever taken, but eventually they reached her house.

"Where are your keys?" Gai asked.

"Front pocket," Sakura said.

Gai reached for them but stopped. He blushed. "Um…" he said, looking at Asuma.

Asuma rolled his eyes and dug around in Sakura's pocket until he pulled out her keys. "Honestly Gai, how can you be a ninja and be so fucking naïve?"

"I'm not naïve. I'm a gentleman," Gai said. "There's a difference."

Asuma put the keys in her hand. "Can you lock up and make it to the couch?"

"Sure," Sakura said. "I'm not that drunk."

Gai and Asuma waited until they heard the lock click inside. "I think I'm done with bars for the night," Gai said.

"Yeah. I don't really want to drink right now anyway," Asuma said.

It was a good thing the next day was Sakura's day off, because she woke up with a raging hangover and couldn't get rid of it until the afternoon.

_I really need to call Ayame, _she thought, _but I want to think about this._

She called Ayame, and she had a mixture of feelings when she heard that sweet voice. "I'm not feeling too well," Sakura said. "I think I'll stay in tonight."

"Do you want me to bring you some soup?" Ayame asked. "It helps when you're sick."

"No," Sakura said. "I just want to rest."

She had half a bottle of whiskey in the cupboard, just enough to get good and drunk without getting absolutely smashed. She put on an old movie and began to drink.

It was a good movie – a romantic comedy. She was quickly too drunk to remember or follow the plot, but she still found herself crying by the end.

_They're so happy, _Sakura thought. _I could have that._

She remembered how she felt when she'd helped Naruto and Kakashi finally kill Sasuke. There was a hole in her heart that no man or woman could ever truly fill. She hadn't loved or hated Sasuke by the end, but there was just something about what he'd done to her that changed her life.

_She'll hurt me like Sasuke hurt me, _Sakura thought. _She'll decide I'm annoying and leave me, or I might do the same to her._

She finished the bottle. _This isn't working, _she thought. _I'm not that drunk – not really, and I know what I need right now._

She could still walk easily, and if she concentrated she could focus enough to get around. Determination flowed through her, and she made her way the few blocks to Ino's house.

She was too drunk to notice the surprise on Ino's face when she opened the door.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Ino asked.

"Make me forget her," Sakura said. "I don't care how you do it, just replace her for a night."


	6. Chapter 6

The Medic and the Waitress

Chapter 8

Not for Choji Fans. Seriously, if you love Choji, quit reading now. It isn't realistic that Sakura would have all of her friends support her, and I chose him. Someone had to be the heavy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sakura?" Ino asked. "Are you drunk?"

"Kind of," Sakura said. "I got myself in some trouble. You can help an old friend out, can't you?"

Sakura heard Choji's voice from inside the house. "Honey, who's out there?"

"I'll be there in a minute," Ino yelled.

"You have to go," she told Sakura. "You know Choji and I are together. You and I were just kids playing games."

"But I loved you," Sakura said.

"No you didn't," Ino said. "You're drunk, Sakura. Go home."

Ino slammed the door.

"Bitch," Sakura said. She kicked the door, leaving a dent.

_I know where I can go, _she thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi was surprised to find Sakura at his door in the middle of the night. She was obviously drunk.

"I need to talk," she said.

"Sure, come on in," he said. "You can crash here. I'll make some coffee."

"You're a good guy, you know that?" Sakura asked. "It's too bad you don't have a vagina."

"Er..ok," Kakashi said. "Maybe you need a lot of coffee."

By the time he'd put coffee on, Sakura had passed out on his couch. He turned off the movie he'd been watching and pushed her legs onto the couch.

"Sleep tight, Princess. You're gonna have one hell of a hangover later."

He went about his business as usual, and when he woke in the morning Sakura was still sleeping. She woke and sat up, blinking against the light.

"What happened last night?" she asked.

"You came over drunk and begged me to fuck you. Don't you remember?" Kakashi asked with a wicked gleam in his eye. "We did it five times."

"Very funny," she said.

He sat by her. "What was so bad that you came here drunk to talk to me about? You passed out before you could tell me."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I can't be in love," she said. "I really can't."

"I don't know that I'm the right one to ask about love," Kakashi said.

"I'm not really asking," Sakura said. "I went to Ino's, but she sent me away, so I came here."

"Nice to know I'm second choice, but ok," Kakashi said.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Sakura said.

"Does she know?"

"She told me she loves me," Sakura said.

"And you don't love her?"

"No," Sakura said. She put her head in her hands. "The problem is that I think I do."

"What are you afraid of?" Kakashi asked.

"Sasuke."

"You're not Sasuke," he said.

"How did you know I was thinking like that?" she asked.

"Because I've known you for years. You're not going to hurt her like he hurt you. You're a better person than that."

"I hope you're right," she said.

"You feel better now?" he asked.

"I do, some," she said.

"Then go tell your girl you love her," Kakashi said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXx

Of course it wasn't that easy. She went to the ramen shop later and just watched Ayame work. Ayame managed a wave or a smile occasionally, and Sakura felt herself treasuring each one. She imagined coming home to Ayame. She made enough money to support her, and she'd never have to work again if she didn't want to. She found herself picturing a few kids. _We could adopt, _she thought.

Ayame walked home with her. This time she slipped her hand into Sakura's as they walked.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Sakura asked.

"I've been talking to Dad," Ayame said. "He said if I really love you I shouldn't be ashamed. I'm not."

"I feel like I'm getting old," Sakura said. "Do you really think you could live with me?"

"I think I'd love to try," Ayame said. "Are you inviting me?"

"No!" Sakura said. "That's not what I meant. I meant eventually, maybe. We barely know each other."

"I'm sorry," Ayame said.

"Don't be sorry, but you kind of scared me there. Let's take this a little slower."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Over the next few weeks Sakura and Ayame spent so much time together that Sakura knew people had to suspect. One day she showed up at the ramen shop to find Ayame in tears in the back. Her father was trying to comfort her.

"I just…I just had a customer say I couldn't wait on him because I was gay," she said, crying.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said. "That's going to happen now. I'll be there for you, but you have to be strong."

"I'll be strong," Ayame said, smiling at Sakura. Tears were still wet on her cheeks.

"I didn't see much traffic today," Sakura said. "Is that related to you being gay?"

"I think so," she said. "I'm so sorry Dad. I didn't think people would punish your business like this"

"It's not your fault. I thought better of Konoha than this. If the city won't support us, we can find something else to do. You aren't doing anything wrong."

"I love you Dad," Ayame said. "I'm going to try to find a way to fix this."

"I might have an idea," Sakura said. "Let me talk to some people. Are you ok with me telling people about us? I can help the restaurant, but I'll have to say you're my girlfriend."

"I'm ok with that," Ayame said, "although I'd rather it be fiancée."

"Whoa," Sakura said. "Too fast."

She went to Naruto's house. He was the most likely to be accepting of her. He was home with Hinata and the kids. They sat at the table and Hinata fed the youngest while they talked.

"I need to tell you something," Sakura said. "Icharaku's is getting hurt by some hateful people. I need my friends to help them out."

"That's horrible," Hinata said. "They're such nice people. Who would want to harm them?"

"Small minded people," Sakura said. "I'm asking people to support Ayame right now."

"What does Ayame have to do with this?" Sakura asked.

_Here goes, _Sakura thought. "I want to support my girlfriend while she's having problems. Will you help me?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Seriously? That's so hot."

Hinata jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

"Sorry," he said grinning.

"We'll support you," Hinata said. "What do you need?"

"Just start eating there more often," Sakura said. "Invite your friends. It would help a lot."

"You don't seem surprised," Sakura said to Hinata.

"I thought you were gay in school," Hinata said. "I'm just surprised it took you this long to come out."

She left Naruto's house with a light heart. _Who else do I know will support us? _She wondered. She didn't even need to ask Kakashi. It was obvious what he'd choose. He was already supporting her. Jiraiya was out of town, but he seemed very open minded. If anything, she'd have trouble with him writing about them.

_Not that I would mind,_ Sakura thought. The idea was attractive. Ayame probably wouldn't like it, but she'd love it.

Most of her friends weren't really that close. She liked Choji and Shikamaru, but she didn't really know them well. They were comrades, not true friends. Kiba and Ten-ten fit in the category. She didn't even really know Shino except for a few misisons, and that was all the people her age that she did know.

_I'm really not close to many people, _she thought.

She decided to talk to Iruka. He smiled his gentle smile. "Of course I'll support you and Ayame," he said. "I trust you to keep this to yourself, but I'm not straight either."

"Thank you Sensei," she said. "I knew I could count on you."

She was surprised at Choji's reaction. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that," he said.

"How can you say that?" Ino asked.

"It's just not something I think is right," Choji said. "I'm still your friend, but don't ask me to support this."

"I can't believe you feel that way," Ino said.

"It never came up in conversation," Choji said. "It's not as if I know any other lesbians."

"You'd be surprised," Ino said. "We need to have a talk later."

"I'll support you Sakura," Ino said. "I'll put up some advertisements in the store later. Bring something by that I can put on the door that showcases the food."

"Thanks, Ino," Sakura said. "I knew I could count on you."

Ino walked with Sakura to the door. "Let's step outside a minute," she said.

"I'm sorry that I'm causing you two problems," Sakura said.

"It's better to find out now than later," Ino said. "I'm going to talk to him later and tell him about when we were younger. I hope he can accept me for who I am. He doesn't have to believe the same way I do, but if things go badly I have to be who I am."

Sakura hugged Ino. "I really do love you," she said. "We weren't really meant to be together, but you're the best friend I've ever had."

_I've really just never gotten close to many people, _she thought.

She approached Tsunade with apprehension. She'd hear about it eventually anyway.

"Could we talk, Shishou?" she asked.

"Any excuse to get away from paperwork for a few minutes," Tsunade said.

Sakura fiddled, suddenly nervous. This could be more than personally problematic. If Tsunade reacted like Choji she could lose her job.

"Well, spill it," Tsunade said. "I don't have all day."

"You know the little ramen place Icharaku's?" Sakura asked.

"Over on the West side of town?" Tsunade asked. "I've heard Naruto rave about it, but I've never been there myself."

"It's having problems because the waitress if being discriminated against. I want to help them."

"Is she a personal friend?" Tsunade asked.

"More than that," Sakura said. She blushed under the long look Tsunade gave her. Her master picked up her sake cup and sipped it slowly.

"I wish I'd known sooner," Tsunade said. "We could have had some fun."

"Noni?"

Tsunade smiled. "I guess you're surprised?"

"Yes," Sakura said. "Does Jiraiya know?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "He knows. Every once in a while he makes lewd suggestions about threesomes. I've only had a couple lovers in my stay in Konoha. It's not a part of my life I want to share with Konoha."

"Kakashi had the same reaction to me," Sakura said.

"Men are all the same," Tsunade said.

"Can you help us?"

The smile faded from Sundae's face. "I'll have to think about it. I'm the Hokage. What I do affects the village, not just myself. I don't know that I can take place in something so divisive."

"Buy you're one of us!" Sakura said.

"It's not so black and white," Tsunade said. "There are a lot of things I have to consider."

Sakura didn't know what to say.

"Don't look so disappointed," Tsunade said. "I didn't say no. I said I'll have to think about it."

"Thank you, Master," Sakura said, but she had hoped for more. Tsunade was special to her.

"Congratulations on the new relationship," Tsunade said. "I hope you two are very happy together."

She went back to Icharaku's, and Naruto and Hinata were already there. "I'm surprised you two got here so soon," Sakura said.

"You know how he is," Hinata said. "He wants to do everything right now."

Naruto leaned forward and kissed her gently. "You didn't mind how much I did last night."

Hinata giggled. "Natuto, stop."

"We have some friends coming," Hinata said. "Naruto knows a few people in a theatre group. You know how theatre people are."

Sakura knew when they came in the door. Five loud 20 somethings came in. Two were flamboyantly gay, and the rest were just loud.

"Oh Naruto darling," one of the girls yelled. "We want to meet your lovely friend."

"This is Sakura," Naruto said. "Sakura, this is Windshine. I did some community service at the theatre last year and made a few friends."

Sakura remembered the community service. Naruto had been caught causing trouble in the village one too many times. It was just a little prank, but apparently Tsunade didn't think finding a whoopy cushion during a high-level meeting was funny.

Windshine rushed over to Sakura and pulled her from her seat. She kissed the air by both cheeks. "Muh, muh," she said, making a sound vaguely like kissing. "It's so romantic and brave what you're doing for your lover."

"I don't know about that," Sakura said. "I just want to help Ayame."

"Which one is she?" one of the boys asked.

Sakura pointed her out and waved. Ayame waved back.

"I'd hit it," the boy said.

They were cheerful and lively, and Sakura had never met anyone like them. She could see how Naruto would get along with them. For a straight guy he came across as gay himself occasionally.

Hinata was quiet. She didn't seem distressed, and Sakura knew that she was just shy with new people.

_It's a beginning, _Sakura thought. _I think this might just work. _


End file.
